Adjustment Period
by Myriddin
Summary: Jade/Tori. Part of the Domesticated Jori series. Skylar is none too enthused at his new baby sister at first. That changes. ONESHOT.


**Adjustment Period  
**By Myriddin

**Author's Notes: Part of the Domesticated Jori series. The progression of Skylar's reaction to his new baby sister. It shows you how little I actually remember about newborns that I had to Google whether bouncy chairs/swings were okay at that age. **

Skylar was furious. For the second weekend in a row, Momma had canceled their special time together to stay home with Mami. Normally he wouldn't mind, he wanted to stay with Mami too when she wasn't feeling well. But it was the baby that had been making Mami sick (he still didn't really understand, how there could be a baby inside Mami. That bump in her tummy was supposed to be proof. He didn't really get it, but because Momma and Mami said it was so, it must be true) and that made him resentful instead of sympathetic. First the nature museum, then the children's festival, all because of that stupid baby.

While the younger West sat fuming in his bedroom, Jade was standing in the doorway, peering worriedly at her son, obviously deep in a rare fit of temper. "Hey, little man, come on. Why don't you talk to me?"

"Leave me alone! G'back to Mami and the baby. You want it more than me!"

Jade's eyes widened as understanding set in. She remembered (vaguely, as she'd only been about five) having a similar reaction when her brother, James, had been born. Sighing to herself, she grabbed the pouting boy and sat him on her knee, quietly and patiently explaining that adding to their family didn't mean Skylar was any less special to his parents, that she was sorry she hadn't been making time for him. Not to mention, just imagine all the cool things Skylar could teach the baby when it got older.

Working further to appease the considering boy, Jade playfully ruffled his hair and smiled. Really, there was something unfairly cute about the kid when he pouted. "You know what Mami was just telling me before I came in here? She said I hover too much. She actually kicked me out of the house until dinner. You wanna join me? We can still hit the festival."

Skylar grinned, jumping off her lap and tugging on her arm to hurry out of the room. Jade laughed and followed along dutifully. She was ready to follow his lead into anything, short of something life-threatening, if it made up for her unintentional neglect.

From that point on, Skylar was delighted. Not only did he have his momma back, but he was getting a little brother or sister out of the deal. Life couldn't have been better.

xx

_Several months later…_

Both of them stared, neither of them willing to break in their battle of wills. The creature blinked, once, twice, staring innocently ahead to lock their gazes.

Skylar merely blinked in response.

"Sky, what are you doing?"

The four-year-old blinked once more, startled out of his intense focus by the quiet sound of his mother's voice. Quizzically, he raised his head to meet the identical blue eyes of the woman standing in the doorway.

Jade leaned against the doorframe of the nursery, regarding her son with a mixture of interest, puzzlement, and concern. "What are you doing, kiddo? How long has Jordan been awake?"

Skylar said nothing in response to his mother's question, only shrugging his shoulders as he turned back to the crib. Jade gave another puzzled frown. Since they had brought Jordan home a few days before, Skylar's actions had taken a strange turn regarding her newborn sister. Skylar made no move to touch or even approach the baby since that first introduction, yet spent most of his time doing nothing more than staring. Both Tori and Jade were at the end of their ropes trying to figure out the situation.

The object of Skylar's fascination made her presence known then, with a loud squall. Jade couldn't help when her frown softened into a warm smile, moving to peer down at her daughter. Jordan gurgled at what to her was probably a blur of shape and color, reaching up with waving arms. Jade lifted her up, cradling the tiny body close as she looked back at her son.

"Since she's awake, let's go back downstairs, Sky. Will you grab her blanket for me?"

Skylar did as asked and trekked after his mother. Before long, Jade had Jordan settled in her swing, turning the crank to settle the chair into a gentle back-and-forth. Skylar took a seat nearby, still and passive as stone as he retook his vigil of watching his sister.

Jade let herself fade into the background, moving to the doorframe. Her eyes fluttered closed with appreciation as she inhaled, her nose filling with the alluring aromas coming from the kitchen. Keeping one eye on the children, she turned her head just enough to project her voice to her wife. "Is that stir-fry?"

Tori looked up at her, startled out of her concentration, her surprise quickly replaced by a grin. "Yep. I know you like your vegetables. How you got our son to do the same, I'll never know."

Jade cocked her head to observe the other woman's Kiss The Cook apron. Glancing back at the kids, she obeyed direction, catching her wife off-guard with a quick, but far from chaste, kiss. Tori hummed contently as they parted, and Jade smiled, leaning down for one more peck. "It smells great, by the way."

Tori looked away, her cheeks faintly stained with color. Ever the modest one. Jade smirked, enjoying the blush. "Thanks. I've picked up a few handy things over the years."

"Haven't we all? Jordan's up, by the way."

Tori smiled, as she turned her attention back to the beef and peppers sizzling on the wok. "Yeah? And Skylar's taken up his vigil, I take it?"

Jade groaned. "I don't get it, Tor. I really don't."

Tori looked at her wryly, pointing toward the living room with her spatula. "We're parents, Jade. Did you really expect to understand our kids?"

"Not really. But I figured I'd at least have until he was a teenager."

xx

Skylar blinked.

Jordan blinked in return. Sort of. He really wasn't sure what it was she was seeing.

At first glance, Skylar had not known what to make of this squirming bundle of energy his mothers had introduced to him. He'd wanted a boy after all, and this thing was just so little and whiny, what was he supposed to do with her?

But even so, he felt strange about this little thing, his sister, as if something about her was supposed to be different. Most boys would not have understood such a reaction to this girl-child, struck by awe and a strange wave of protectiveness whenever he caught sight of a tiny angel. She seemed so small, so fragile like his grandmother's precious china, and he was so afraid that with one touch he would break her.

His mommies reassured him otherwise, and Skylar always believed his beloved parents. Before he could hesitate again, his body acted of its own accord. Slowly, his young face full of uncertainty, he reached out his hand, startled by the soft touch that met him as tiny fingers wrapped around his own.

The next time Jade checked on them, her son was fully occupied in playing with his little sister, his solemn little face bright with a radiant smile.


End file.
